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"My brother came round about 8pm and I just opened the door to let him in," she said.

"I could smell gas straight away and it was really strong. It went right through to my living room.

"I rang the gas board and they told me to open my windows and doors. I did open one but it just made it worse so I had to shut it again.

"We have had some waterworks going on round the corner so I wondered whether or not it was anything to do with that."

As a result of Ms Ulliott and several of her neighbours reporting the smell, three gas vans were later seen in the street.

The source of the smell remains a mystery. (Image: Jerome Ellerby)

She said: "The workmen mentioned that they thought it was to do with the tannery in Bankside.

"I went out at 8am today and the smell's gone now."

June Hought, who works at Hull Magistrates Court, said she felt like "coughing her guts up" as she waited for her bus home near Old Town at around 8.30pm.

"It was like a gas smell," she said. "It was horrendous really. I was coughing like mad and just couldn't stop. When I got on the bus I thought I'd be OK but the smell had followed me onto the bus and I just couldn't stop. It was really unpleasant."

Following suggestions the tannery may have been the source of the smell, a spokesman for Holmes Halls Processors told the Mail: "I don't think it was anything to do with us. We smelt it this morning but it wasn't really a gassy smell as such.

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"There's some industrial businesses on the corner of Bankside so it's not unusual to have that kind of whiff round here."

Russel Kaye, business operational leader at Northern Gas Networks, said: "Our engineers responded to numerous reports of people smelling gas in Hull city centre on Wednesday, February 21, between 8.30pm and midnight.

"We investigated each call to the National Gas Emergency Service and can confirm that the smell was not caused by gas leaks from our pipes.

"We’re pleased that members of the public are aware of the need to the call the helpline if they do suspect they can smell gas."

Anyone that smells gas or suspects carbon monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24-hours a day, seven days a week.